The Distant Flame
by Madhubala
Summary: AU Havoc loses transfer paperwork. Roy is forced to go on a blind date with the person whose transfer paperwork is lost. Major fluff! Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fullmetal Alchemist.**

**Authors Note: This story is Alternate Universe meaning it is going by the series or the manga with a new twist.**

**Chapter 1**

They were caring to the point of stupidity. Under the guidance of Jean Havoc; Breda, Fuery and Brosh had cooked up a plot to cheer up their friend. However, according to Havoc happiness consisted of never-ending cigarettes and at least one date. Today, they all sat upon the lawn as they basked in the sunlight. They were loving every minute of their break until Jean Havoc looked up and noticed Roy looking down at them from his office. Normally, Roy Mustang was their ring leader. However, his absence had created tension between these comrades as they began to worry.

The Flame Alchemist watched from his office window and though he could not hear them; he knew by their actions that they were discussing him. They had been after him for three years. Roy sighed, "The Getting-Roy-to-Get-Out-More Campaign is getting pretty tiresome." Roy paused and thought that if it were three years ago; he would be down there sitting on the lawn with them. He would also be laughing along with them. Roy noticed Havoc looking up at him and turned away as he focused on his paperwork.

"Celine," Roy called out to his secretary. Celine walked into the office, "Yes sir?"

"All the paperwork is done," Roy motioned towards the stack of papers upon his desk. "Sort them by department." Roy raised his one eyebrow up, "I don't want the paperwork getting lost again."

Celine shook her head, "That was not my doing, sir."

Roy looked up and shrugged, "I expected that it was not. If you can, keep track of who handles the paperwork after you and report back to me."

Celine nodded, "Yes sir."

Roy leaned back in his chair and his eyes turned towards a picture of Maes Hughes and him. The picture seemed to scream at him to get married. Roy looked away from the picture and shouted, "Celine?"

Celine frantically ran back into the office, "Yes sir? Is something wrong?"

"Do you have any more paperwork?"

"Sir?" Celine looked at Roy in shock.

"What's wrong?"

"You've finished all the paperwork for the month," Celine shrugged. "My suggestion is to go home and rest -"

Roy looked at Celine in amusement. Celine looked down, "I mean, not that I'm supposed to tell you what to do."

Celine looked down at Havoc and replied, "Why don't you join them?"

Roy did not respond to Celine's comment. Celine turned to look at Roy and replied, "I'm going to see who has been losing the paperwork."

Roy stood up again and looked out his window. He noticed that all four of his comrades were looking up at his window as though they had a plot in mind.

Breda followed Havoc's eyes and shook his head, "He isn't ever going to be the same."

Fuery turned towards Breda, "Could you be the same after losing nearly everyone in your care?"

"Well," Breda backed off, "not exactly. I didn't mean it that way. He just needs to get out more." Breda lowered his voice to a whisper, "Word around the base is that he actually enjoys doing his paperwork now."

Brosh gasped, "He needs help."

Havoc sighed and lowered his head, "He does need to get out of that office." Havoc looked up at Roy's office window, "I know this girl that's perfect for him. He needs a date."

"Yeah, we all think that he does," Brosh lazily commented. "But, erm, who's going to be the person to tell him that?"

Brosh, Fuery and Breda all looked at each other and slowly turned their eyes towards Havoc. Havoc uncomfortably looked away, "You're asking me to do this great feat?"

Brosh, Fuery and Breda nodded in unison.

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"You need to get out more." 

Hearing this news, Roy Mustang's nostrils flared, "I am not interested."

Roy cleared his throat and pointed at the convenient ashtray that was next to Jean. However, Jean did not notice this polite subtlety as ashes fell from his cigarette and onto the carpet. Roy's eyes followed the ashes and twitched as they fell, for, his office had just been renovated. The scent of fresh paint was burning through his lungs as he stood up from his swiveling chair and pushed the window open.

Unconsciously, Roy touched his eye patch and took in a deep breath of fresh air. A sympathetic look overcame Havoc's jovial features. "Come on," Jean pleaded as though he was a child at the candy store and the last gumdrop were up for grabs.

"I am not interested," Roy repeated pausing for at least two seconds between each word.

"You should be. A girl like her is hard to find," Havoc lazily leaned against the doorframe with his cigarette hanging from his lips. "She's just like you only she's better looking."

"Don't you have somewhere to be," Roy unconsciously touched his eye patch.

"Not until you give me an answer."

Roy clenched his fists, "I said that I was not interested."

"Yes or no," Havoc continued.

"Not inter-"

"That's a maybe, right?"

"Yes," Roy snapped at an unopened letter and watched it burn in an unused ashtray. "Does she even know who I am?"

Havoc paused, "Not exactly. It's a blind date."

"Blind?" Roy motioned towards his eye patch, "Did you tell her about this?"

"Well," Havoc shrugged, "I think I have to go to that somewhere that you told me to go to."

Roy stood up from his desk. It was clear that he was very angry, for, his muscles had become tense. "Why didn't you tell her?"

"It-it didn't come up." Jean cringed, "Put those gloves away."

Roy shrugged, "It's going to be a very short date then."

Jean Havoc looked at his friend in sympathy. Roy had not been himself ever since the incident. It did not help that every time Roy walked through the office; people stared and whispered.

This had been going on for three years. He had grown accustomed to people looking the other way. However, he had not grown accustomed to those that had told him that he had not changed one bit. No, he had changed. No longer was he the ambitious man that wished to climb his way up to a lofty position.

As he walked out the office that day, he looked back and noticed that his secretary was placing new flowers upon his desk and wondered, "Why do they act as though I am still sick?"

Jean Havoc followed behind him and replied, "Wait, don't you want to know when and where?"

Roy stopped in his tracks, "Not particularly."

Jean paused, "How will you find the girl then? Once you see her you'll feel as though she was someone you lost once and now you have found her."

Roy's one eye widened as he looked at Jean in shock, "How did you know?"

Jean sent Roy a look of confusion, "Know what?"

Roy looked away; a look of relief had appeared upon his features, "Nothing."

Roy walked through the corridor; leaving Jean in a state of confusion. Roy did not turn around and as he neared the corner; he took in a deep breath of relief. He had shielded the darkness away by his ambition. When the Elric brothers had been his charges, he had put them high on his priority list. He felt a kinship towards them. He had felt almost as though the three of them had become brothers. Yes, he missed the Elric brothers as much as he missed his own family. However, the person he missed the most was not to be found.

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**Please Read and Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fullmetal Alchemist characters.**

**Authors Note: I apologize for the delay in this chapter. (This story is Alternate Universe meaning it is going by the series or the manga with a new twist.)**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Roy walked through the corridor; leaving Jean in a state of confusion. Roy did not turn around and as he neared the corner; he took in a deep breath of relief. He had shielded the darkness away by his ambition. When the Elric brothers had been his charges, he had put them high on his priority list. He felt a kinship towards them. He had felt almost as though the three of them had become brothers. Yes, he missed the Elric brothers as much as he missed his own family. However, the person he missed the most was not to be found.

Brosh, Breda, and Fuery watched as Roy walked out of the base and onto the lawn. Roy stopped as soon as he noticed that they were there. Roy began to walk towards them. Brosh, Breda, and Fuery's eyes diverted towards Havoc who had followed Mustang out of the office.

"I think I saw a spark coming from his gloves," Fuery whimpered.

"Stand up and act on your best behaviour," Breda whispered from the side of his mouth.

Immediately, they quickly stood up and saluted the Flame Alchemist. Roy cringed and muttered indifferently, "As you were."

There was an awkward silence as the three sat back down upon the lawn. Impatiently, Roy waited for one of them to speak. However, the three of them acted as though they were in a stupor.

"Did I not say as you were," Roy sarcastically asked.

"I suppose you did," Breda challenged Colonel Mustang.

"So," Roy nonchalantly broke the silence, "did you three put Havoc up to it?"

"Up to what," Fuery asked as though he were innocent.

"Blind date," Roy casually replied.

"Oh … that." Breda shrugged, "Well, yeah -"

"Are you all out of your minds," Roy shouted.

"I think so," Brosh thoughtfully answered.

Roy paused for a moment, for; Brosh's answer was quite unexpected. Brosh shrugged as he looked away from Mustang's glare; "We were only trying to help you."

"I do not need help from anyone."

"Anyone that has finished paperwork for the entire month in less than one week does need help," Breda piped up. "You work too much. You need some fun. You need to relax."

"Fun?" Roy's jaw tightened, "Relax?" Roy inched towards his comrades with his gloved hands pointing straight in their faces. "There are more important things than that."

"You're wearing yourself out. Celine, your secretary, had to tell you to take a vacation," Jean's voice replied from behind Roy. "Don't you think it's time that you do something for yourself?"

Roy turned around as his livid features met Jean's compliant face. "Do I look as though I need a vacation?"

"Yes," Brosh, Fuery, Breda, and Havoc all replied in unison.

Jean passed Roy a slip of paper and replied, "If you would take the time to look at this paper; you would know that she is exactly like you. I set it up for tomorrow night at 7:00."

Roy groaned, "Fine. I will go. I want to make this clear. Under no circumstances, will this happen again."

Breda, Fuery, and Brosh sat down upon the lawn. However, Jean looked upon his friend and replied, "Honestly, she's not really that bad."

"How did you meet her," Roy queried as he motioned for Havoc to walk with him.

"She was at a different base." Havoc caught up to Roy, "But, I'm in charge of handling her transfer papers. She is going to be transferred here in the next few weeks."

"That means that you've never even met her."

Havoc hesitated as Roy sent him a cold glare, "You have met her, haven't you?"

"Yes."

Roy shook his head and ripped up the slip of paper. Havoc's eyes widened, "Don't do that. That was very important paperwork."

"You and I have our own differences," Roy lectured. "But, I consider reports to be very important."

Havoc placed his hands to his head and mumbled an inaudible complaint. Roy watched as the wind carried the scraps of paper away and coldly regarded Havoc, "Fine. I admit that I am in need of a vacation." Roy turned towards Havoc, "But, I don't need-"

"Would you give me a chance to explain myself," Havoc challenged Roy. "She came here for a tour of the base a few months ago. I gave her the tour. That was how I met her and that was all."

A scrap of paper came fluttering down and landed upon Havoc's face. The paper had the official seal upon it. Roy and Havoc exchanged looks.

Roy paused, "What did I just rip?"

Havoc sighed, "Her transfer papers."

"Hmm," Roy nodded. "You can handle the necessary paperwork. I'll see you tomorrow."

- - -

Havoc sat at his desk and took in a deep breath. "It's not every day that a transfer paper gets torn by a superior." Havoc placed a cigarette between his lips and smirked, for, he found the situation rather amusing.

He glanced at the clock. It read 11:00 PM. Havoc rubbed his tired eyes and groaned, "All this waiting for a transfer paper. It's so quiet in here that I can actually hear myself think."

Havoc crossed his legs upon his table; upsetting his cup of cold coffee. Havoc's eyes diverted towards the cup that had since fallen onto the carpet and shrugged. He tilted his head back and crossed his arms. His eyes began to droop and he found that it was hard to keep his eyes open.

A few minutes later, the phone at Havoc's desk began to ring. However, Havoc did not stir. The phone rang three times and Havoc did not waken.

"Havoc," a harsh voice replied.

Havoc opened his eyes and looked up at Colonel Mustang. The Flame Alchemist looked at his friend in disbelief, "Do you have the transfer papers?"

Havoc rubbed his eyes and grumbled, "Not unless you want to go around the entire base to collect the scraps of paper. Now, let me go back to sleep."

"Did the other base call," Roy asked.

"No." Havoc tilted his head back and closed his eyes, "I've been waiting here since you left the office yesterday."

Roy sent Havoc a look of suspicion, for, now he wondered what was so important that his friend would have waited for so long. "You do realize that this was a matter that could have waited until tomorrow."

"Yes," Havoc yawned.

Roy sighed to himself and replied, "Before coming to central, I went to the other base to ask them for another copy of her transfer papers. It was that easy."

Havoc's tired eyes opened up, "What are you telling me?"

Roy slapped the transfer paper upon the desk and coolly replied, "Just take care of this today and you can have the entire day off."

"What are you telling me," Havoc repeated with his tired, red eyes twitching.

"I have the transfer paperwork and you have the day off."

Havoc abruptly stood up from his chair and replied, "You mean that I could have been sleeping. All this time from 5:00 PM until now, I have been sitting here. I have been bored out of my mind." Havoc replied in a rush, "I started to talk to myself and started to ask myself questions. And you want to know something … I answered most of them!"

Roy watched Havoc in amusement and replied, "Change of plans. I will take care of her transfer paperwork. You can go home."

Havoc sighed, "Okay. But, remember, tomorrow … I mean today at 7:00 PM."

Roy mumbled to himself, "How could I forget?"

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